Colts Combine Notes, Day 1: Herbert and Love in battle for QB3

The NFL Scouting Combine took center stage Thursday, and here are five things the Indianapolis Colts should notice.

It’s a big week in Indianapolis, as the NFL Scouting Combine takes center stage, a major stop in the road to the 2020 NFL Draft. The quarterbacks, wide receivers, and tight ends took the field first for testing and drills, a big day for Chris Ballard and the Indianapolis Colts, who have big needs to address at those positions.

There were some obvious standouts during the day. Alabama star Henry Ruggs III ran a 4.27 in the 40 yard dash, and he is certainly one to keep an eye on at pick 13 for the Colts. CeeDee Lamb and Jerry Jeudy ran respectable times, and both solidified their status as top 15 talents. What else did we learn? Let’s take a look.

1) Justin Herbert and Jordan Love battle for QB3

Joe Burrow and Tua Tagovailoa are the the clear top quarterbacks in the draft class right now, and both are likely out of play for the Colts. However, the two after them, Oregon’s Justin Herbert and Utah State’s Jordan Love, are fighting for the third spot.

Herbert ran a 4.68, while Love timed in at 4.74. Those times show the athleticism the two have at the position. Then came the drills. Herbert was in the first group, and threw some lasers around the yard. His touch on the deep ball looked excellent, and he excelled in the fade. Love makes throwing look easy, and his throws deep and on digs/outs looked pretty all night long. Neither has separated from the other, and the Colts may end up missing out on both without trading up. Love has recently seen more top 10 buzz.

2) Tight End class still crowded at the top

The tight end class continues to lack an elite difference maker, but there will be options on day two for the Colts if they decide to select one. Dayton’s Adam Trautman put together a solid day, featuring a three cone time near the best in the last decade. Missouri’s Albert Okweugbunam is back on the radar after posting a 4.49 in the 40 yard dash. A late sleeper to watch is Cincinnati’s Josiah Deguara, who looked good all-around.

3) Denzel Mims stock up

Denzel Mims was featured on the Colts wide receiver big board earlier this week as the top option in round three. Forget about that now, as he put together a spectacular day of testing. He ran a 4.38, jumped 38.5 inches in the vertical along with 131 in the broad, and posted an elite 6.66 three cone time. His RAS will be elite as well, and that could push him into the early round two conversation. He could become someone the Colts target with pick 34 or 44.

4) Justin Jefferson on watch, Donovan Peoples-Jones too

For those who saw the big board (the link is above), Justin Jefferson was a top candidate for the early round two pick for Indianapolis. Jefferson has excellent tape and production, but some were concerned about his speed. Forget about that, as he blew expectations out of the water with a 4.44. He’s on first round watch.

Donovan Peoples-Jones will still likely be in play for Indy in round two. It was expected that Peoples-Jones would test well, and he certainly did. He ran a 4.46 in the 40, and led the way in both jumps, confirming his contested catch ability and catch radius on tape.

5) Jalen Hurts back in play on day two?

Jalen Hurts has been a polarizing prospect in draft circles for quite some time. Hurts has the leadership qualities to succeed, but there are some accuracy and processing issues in the middle of the field.

Hurts put together a good 4.59 in the 40, and looked very solid during drills in the evening. His ball looked very good on out routes, one of his struggles in 2019, and he showed off his pretty deep ball. There’s a chance for him to develop, and if not, he will always be a top notch backup in the NFL. He could be back in consideration for the Colts.

Tune in Friday afternoon at 4:00 ET for more NFL Scouting Combine coverage, and tune back in here at Horseshoe Heroes for more notes.